I love my Nikon 60mm f2.8 Nikkor Micro lens...Scarey detail....Excellent Portrait lens, and it actually worked extremely well on a recent walk about. Focus Peaking was such a breeze, I was really amazed.

I have LA-EA1 (although, considering an upgrade to LA-EA2), to share my stock of Sony/Minolta A-mount lenses. I have also used LA-EA1 adapter to mount my M42 screw mount lenses (M42 lens to Minolta A-mount adapter, chipped, to LA-EA1 gets me the EXIF out of NEX that M42 to NEX adapter doesn't).

Either LA-EA1, or the more advanced LA-EA2, will allow you to use any Minolta or Sony A-mount lens with full control (including AF although, LA-EA1 has limitations on this issue, LA-EA2 works well).

As for macro lenses, the beauty of NEX is that you can look for deals disregarding the mount. I picked up an Elicar V-HQ 90mm f/2.5 Macro (1:1) last week and it is due to arrive today. For NEX, you can find this supposedly great macro lens on a lot of mounts. I picked one that was the best deal, at $90, delivered: Contax/Yashica. And ordered C/Y to NEX adapter off Amazon for $15 (you can get for less off eBay but I didn't want to wait 2-3 weeks, and was more confident of quality from a US retailer on Amazon).

Many, many options exist. You could look for:

Vivitar 90mm or Panagor 90mm f/2.8 - This is the same lens as the Elicar and made by Komine. On Vivitar, look for serial number starting with "28".

Vivitar 90mm macro - Not to be confused with the above, this Vivitar is made by Tokina (serial number starts with "37" and also referred to as "Bokina" for its nice bokeh.

Vivitar 105mm f/2.8 macro - I believe, made by Kiron (serial number starts with "22"). Another high quality macro.

And the usual...

Tamron 90mm f/2.8 (very nice lens... if you find a deal, grab it regardless of the mount... you don't need to worry about auto-focus with macro lenses anyway)

Minolta 100mm f/3.5 is another very good lens

Of course, you could go for Minolta 100mm f/2.8 (very nice lens), Tamron 60mm f/2 and so on, depending on your budget.

Vivitar 90mm macro - Not to be confused with the above, this Vivitar is made by Tokina (serial number starts with "37" and also referred to as "Bokina" for its nice bokeh.

While Tokina did manufacture the Vivitar above, "Bokina" also refers to the Tokina AT-X 90mm Macro [1, 2, 3]. The Tokina holds the edge over its Vivitar cousin, due to better coatings (improved flare resistance) and less CA. Both lenses came with an optical macro extender to give a 1:1 ratio.

Hi, i'm thinking of getting the Tamron 90mm too but for Nikon mount as i've seen it cheap-ish, but that wouldn't work with the LA EA1 would it?! Ahh, i think i'm about to answer my own question - you presumably have a Tamron for a sony mount, hence using the LA EA1 - is that right?

Also (whilst i'm asking dumb questions) i have an old vivitar MD mount for minolta lens that i'd like to use on the nex - that won't fit on the LA EA1 will it?

I have, and enjoy using Nikoln 60/2.8, and 55/3.5 Olympus OM 50/3.5 and Minolta MD 50/3.5 And 80/4 bellows. I have found that they are very comparable. I enjoy using the Nikon 60 as it goes to life size as does the Minolta 80mm. The longer lens allows more working space which I also enjoy. The Olympus is the best for carrying around, so small and light Gets you to half life size. The others seem a bit big and clunky on the small NEX body. I haven't tried the Emount macro, It is a bit short for me, i preffer the larger working distance that a longer lens will allow.
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Let just all take more photographs!

Hi, I've had macro success with an MD Macro Rokkor QX - 50mm, on NEX-5. Inexpensive and sharpety-sharp, came in a velvet lined case with extender for 1:1, and a reverse mounting ring, under 70.00 on online auction. Have yet to try it for normal shooting.

My Elicar V-HQ 90mm f/2.5 (C/Y Mount) arrived last night. I won this lens in an auction that included Yashica/Kyocera body and Vivitar 2800 Thyristor flash (which was mounted on the lens via a removable holder). The bonus was that the combination arrived in a nice padded box that I wasn’t aware of until I opened the package. This lens was used for clinical (dental) purposes and has related markings along the magnification ratios which goes from 1:20 at infinity to 1:1 at about 0.35m.

I did not expect the lens to be as compact as it turned out to be, which was a pleasant surprise since I intend to use exclusively on my NEX (for macro, I could also use it on my A55, but don’t need to, with A-mount Sigma 70mm f/2.8 at hand as well). It is also quite light. Probably more compact and definitely lighter than my Sigma 70mm (and more compact than Tamron 90mm but not any lighter).

I can’t speak of IQ yet, but my limited play time with it were promising and pointing towards a very sharp and capable lens considering the conditions (indoor lighting, outdoors at near dusk). The lens extends but manages about 140mm clearance at 1:1 magnification (again, same as Tamron 90mm f/2.8) which is marked for the dentist as “Crown”. Let the drilling begin!

The focusing ring needs greasing though. That brings me to my issue with C/Y to NEX adapter. It is solid metal, and fits very well into the camera body. Even the lens bayonet fits well… except that a little clip that should lock the bayonet in place doesn’t. Consequently, turning the focus ring also turns the lens out of the adapter. A fix for the adapter should do it.

But, Elicar 90mm f/2.5 appears to be a great value and especially at the price I found it… $90 delivered. It is also sold as Vivitar and Panagor brands, made by Komine… I am becoming a fan of their optics now have two lenses the other being a fast telephoto zoom, 70-210 f/2.8-4 under Vivitar brand.

I will try to post pictures of the lens and images with the lens in a few days, if this thread is still going.

You forgot the Kiron 105mm f2.8 Macro, which also goes to 1:1 without adapter...
Very smooth and accurate focusing, really sharp lens.

You're right. I have heard about that lens but never tried it. What I meant to say was that of those lenses I have tried the Tamron was the only 1:1. Other than the Kiron are there any others in that general focal length?

There seems to be several manual 1:1 lenses in the 90 to 105mm FL, and I am currently trying to sort them out.

I am searching on the web, and it is a big mess to identify all these lenses properly. Vivitar, for example, seems to have 3 or 4 (if not more) lenses in these FLs !
I will write a note when I am through.

Marc

Michael Everett
wrote:

You're right. I have heard about that lens but never tried it. What I meant to say was that of those lenses I have tried the Tamron was the only 1:1. Other than the Kiron are there any others in that general focal length?